Vehicular toy



Jan. 3; 1928. 1,654,985

6. S. MCCARTHY VEHICULAR TOY Filed NOV. 5, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwueno'a Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,985

c. s. M m-Rm;

VEHIGULAR TOY Filed Nov. 5, 1926 3 sheewshee-t 2 M.K M J c. s. MCCARTHY VEHICULAE TOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov.

JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I'll/1 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

CHARLES S. MCCARTHY, F TOLEDO, OHI

VEHICULAR TOY.

Application filed November 5, 1926.

This invention relates to a vehicular toy, and particularly to manually propelled bodies of this character such as are gener ally known as skipmobiles or coaster wagons.

In this type of vehicles, it has been cus ternary to propel the same by one toot, as the other rests upon a toot support carried by the frame of the toy device. Ordinarily no power means, other than the manual effort of the boy or girl operating the toy, is relied upon; hence the desirability of some kind ot motor of a most simple nature to apply additional propelling power. This is obtained by the invention herein set forth.

The present invention therefore involves an ex: edingly simple and eii'ective power device comprising a power spring actuated through the rotative movement of the propelling wheels of the vehicle so that in the ordinary propulsion.thereof on a level or descending grade, power is conserved or stored in the spring and adapted to be automatically utilized for continued propulsion or when there is an increased resistance, as in the case or an ascending grade.

In such a toy it is also important to provioe for operation of the vehicle independent of the power means which is not possible in prior constructions so tar as I am aware, and further to provide an automatic disconnection for the spring tension when it has reached a degree proper for application in its retractive action to the propelling wheel for driving purposes.

It has also been found practically necessry to provide a simple and eiiicfent construction which can be readily applied to the ordinary character of toy vehicles and in which the drive shaft is constantly geared with the propelling wheel by an interposed one-way clutch and the spring tension ng gears carried by such wheel adapted to be n'ianually shifted into driving relation but automatically released therefrom by the action of the spring when under driving tension.

The invention has toran object to provide a novel and improved construction of pro pelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a driving shaft geared to a propelling wheel and having a power spring tensioned by intermittent connection with said wheel, with means for automatically releasing the tensioning connection for the spring and appl in the retractive action thereon tor drivmg purposes.

Serial No. 146,414.

A further obj oct of the invention is to provide a new construction oi vehicle'in which the propelling wheel is geared to a drive shaft having a power spring connected thereto, with manually controlled means t'or connecting this shalt with the wheel for rotation in one direction to tension the spring and automatic means to release the manually controlled means and permit rotation of the shat't in an opposite direction by the tension of said spring to drive the propelling wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction wherein the propelling wheel of the vehicle is provided with concentric gears one of which is con nected with a drive shaft through a one-way clutch, said shatt carrying a power spring and a shit-table gearadapted to engage a second gear on the wheel for the purpose of tensioning said spring, together with means for shifting the latter gear and retaining it in its adjusted position.

Other and further objects and advantages ot the invention will be hereinafter set, forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation showing the invention applied;

Figure 2 is a vertical sect on with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the propelling wheel and its connecting gears;

Figure 4; is a plan view thereof with parts in section;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 6(l oil Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a detail section on the line 7*? ct Figure 4; and 9 Figure 8 is a like view on the line 8+8 of Figure 3.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

The invention is designed for application not only to the usual type of toy scooters butalso to coaster wagons and like vehicles adapted to be manually propelled generally by children. For the purpose of illustration, however, it is shown in connection with a skipmobile in which the frame 10 is provided at its forward end with the usual pivoted steering post 11 having handles 12 and wheel 13. The rearward portion of this stance is formed with a gear face 1'? for propelling purposes and a concentric inner gear face 18 for tensioning purposes.

' The frame of the vehicle has secured thereto at its rear a bracket 19 carrying a bearing, 20 for the end of the shaft 21 and a substantially similar bracket 22 is provided at a forward point on the frame and carries a bearing 23 for the front end of the shaft 21. This shaft has mounted thereon adjacent the bearing 20 a bevel gear 24 which is secured in contact with the bearing by a pin and washer as indicated at 25. This gear 24 is interiorly formed with a one-way clutch of any preferred construe tion, for instance a key 26 slidably mounted in a slot 27 extending diametrically of the shaft 21 and adapted to engage in the recessed seats 28 within the hub of the gear as usual in this type of clutch. Such mounting permits the free rotation of the gear on the shaft in one direction and a driving connection therewith in an opposite direction of rotation The shaft 21 issurrounded by a driving or power spring 30 which is secured thereto at one end by the means shown at 31 and the opposite end of said spring is connected at 32 with a sleeve 33 slidingly mounted upon the shaft, and held against rotation by arm 49 operating in slot 50 in a plate 45. The shaft also has slidingly keyed thereon a beveled pinion or gear 34 which is intermittently brought into mesh with the inner tensioning gear 18 upon the propelling wheel. Thev collar 35 from the gear 34: is provided with a circumferential groove 36 adapted to receive a pin 37 from the arm 38 of the shifting lever 39 which is pivotally mounted upon the vehicle frame 10 at 40 at opposite sides of the frame and tensioned in one direction by a spring l1 extending from the posite face of the latch is formed with a ea 'c p un with a stop 57 to limit the releasm'g'movement of the latch and de- 7 termine accurately the position of the gear upon'the shaft. Under this condition the spring is placed under tension and such action results. in an elongation of the spring bodily and a reduction in the diameter of the coils thereof, with the result that the arm 19 from. the collar 33 travels in the slot 50 of the plate 45 and when this spring has received its full tension engages the latch 41-3 to release the same from the lug 17 and permit its upward movement by the spring ll which retracts the tensionin, g;'gear 34 from its driving relation to the propelling" wheel. At this time the spring is free to act through its retractive power and reverses the direction of rotation of the shaft 21 so that the driving gear as thereon applies power to the propelling wheel through the outer gear 17 with which it is in con stant mesh. 7

In the mounting of the propelling means upon the vehicle it is desirable to protect them and also the user of the vehicle which is desirably effected by means of the top plate 51 having a curved depending extension 52 at one side which substantially encloses the driving shaft and its sprin This plate may also be provided with a tread 53 of rubber or any desired material. A rear casing 58 may be used to enclose the gearing.

The rear of the frame 10 may also be pro vided with the usual type of rest 5e pivoted thereto at 55 and adapted to be swunpbeneath the wheel to support the vehicle when at rest and to lie in .a raised position as shown in Figure l whenit is in use.

The operation of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description from which it will be seen that it is only necessary for the user to depress the shift lever from the full line position, in Figure'3 to that in dicated by dotted lines in order to apply tension to the driving; spring and during such application of tension the driving gear upon the shaft through its clutch connection runs idle. lVhen the spring has received its proper tension the shift lever is automatically released and restored so as to withdraw the tensioning gear from the propelling so to be readily adapted for application to vehicles of the ordinary type for the purpose of application of power thereto with a minimum of effort and the utmost simplicity in operation.

YVhile the details of the invention have been specificallyshown and described, it is not confined thereto as changes and altera tions may be .made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a frame havinga ground wheel, a drive shaft geared thereto, a driving spring connected to said shaft, means adapted to be driven by the wheel for tensioning said spring, and means actuated by the bodily movement of the toy for shifting said ten sioning means to permit refractive action of the spring upon the wheel.

- A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a wheel, a drive shaft geared thereto, a driving spring connected to said shaft, means adapted to be driven by the wheel for tensioning said spring, and means for automatically shifting said tension means out of driving relation with said wheel to permit retractive action of the spring thereon.

t A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a wheel, a drive shaft geared thereto, a driving spring connected to said shaft, means adapted to be driven by the wheel for tensioning said spring, means for shifting said tensioning means to permit retractive action of the spring upon the wheel, and means for retaining the shifting lever in driving relation.

In a propelling means for a vehicular a frame, a wheel mounted therein and carrying gears, a driving shaft having a gear mounted thereon with a one-way clutch, a tension spring connected to said shaft, a gear slidingly keyed upon the shaft to enone of the wheel gears, and means for ting sa d last mentioned gear into and of operative relation.

in a propelling means for a vehicular toy, a frame, a wheel mounted therein and carrying gears, a driving shaft having a gear mounted thereon with a one-way clutch, a tension spring connected to said shaft, a ar slidingly keyed upon the shaft to eng ge one of the wheel gears, a lever adapted to manually shift said sliding gear into op tive relation, and means for automatically releasing said sliding gear when the ,spring is under tension.

ti. la a propelling means for a vehicular toy, a frani a wheel mounted therein and carrying gears, a driving shaft having a gear mounted thereon with a one-way clutch, a tension spring connected to said shaft, a gear slidingly keyed upon the shaft to en- 'e one of the wheel gears, a lever adapted to manually shift said sliding gearmto operative relation, and means controlled by the tension of the spring for releasing the Slit ingly keyed upon the shaft to engage one of the wheel gears, a lever adapted o marmally shift said sliding gear into opative relation, means controlled by the ten on of the spring for releasing the shiftg lever for automatic movement of the raiding gear out of operative relation with t io wheel, and a latch carried by said lover :"or retaining the sliding gear in operative relation during the tensioning of the spring.

8. In a propelling means for a vehicular toy, a frame, a wheel mounted therein and carrying gears, a driving shaft haviig a gear mounted thereon with a one-way clutch, a tension spring connected to said shaft, a gear slidingly keyed upon the shaft to engage one of the wheel gears, alever adapted to manually shift said sliding gear into operative relation, means controlled by the tension of the spring for releasing the shifting lever for automatic movement of the sliding gear out of operative relation with the wneel, a latch carried by said lever for retaining the sliding gear in operative reiation during the tension of the spring, and a stop cooperating with said latch to lin'ii'; its releasing n'iovement.

9. A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a frame, a wheel mounted therein and provided with concentric gears, a drive shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with one of said gears and having a one-way clutch relation to said shaft, a tensioniug gear slidingly mounted upon the shaft to engage the other wheel gear, a power spring secured to said shaft, and means for shifting said tension gear relative to the wheel gear.

10. A propelling means to a vehicular toy comprising a frame, a wheel mounted therein and provided with concentric gears, a drive shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with one of said gears and having a one-way clutch relation to said shaft, a tcnsioning gear slidingly mounted upon the shaft to engage the other wheel gear, a power spring secured to said shaft, means for shifting said. tensioning gear relative to the wheel gear, and a sliding collar connected to the spring and mounted upon said shaft to automatically release the shifting means when the spring is under tension.

11. A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a frame, a wheel mounted thereon, a drive shaft, means for gearing said shaft in dr' ing relation to the wheel, a coiled power-spring secured at one end to slidahly mounted thereon, shift-able means i lever to elevated position, a latchv pivotally,

said shaft and at its opposite end to a collar slidably mounted thereon, shiftable. means for rotating said shaft to tension said spring, and means controlled in the tensioning action of the spring to release the tensioning means, I r

12. A propelling means for a vehicular toy comprising a frame, a wheel mounted thereon, a drive shaft, means for gearing said shaft in driving relation to the wheel, a coiled power spring secured at one end to said shaft and at its opposite end to a collar for rotating said shaft to tension said spring, means controlled in the tensioning action of the spring to release the tensioning means, and latching means for retaining the tensioning means in operative relation and disposed to he released in the movement of the collar carried by the tensioning spring.

18. A propelling means comprising 'a frame, a wheel mounted therein provided with a tensioning gear, a driving shaft upon which said gear is slidingly keyed, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft and secured thereto at one end, a shift lever mounted upon the frame and pivotally connected with sait gear, means for restoring said shift lever to elevated position, and latching means for retaining said shift lever when depressed.

ld. A propelling means comprising a frame, a wheel mounted therein provided with a tensioning gear, a driving shaft upon which said gear is slidingly keyed, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft and secured thereto at one end, a shift lever mounted upon the frame and pivotally connected with said gear, means for restoring said shift lever to elevated position, and a latch pivotally depending from the shift lever and adapted to engage a fixed lug for retaining the lever in depressed position.

' 15. A propelling means. comprising a frame, a wheel mounted therein provided with a tensioning gear, a driving shaft upon which said gear is slidingly keyed, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft and secured thereto at one end, a shift lever mounted upon the frame and pivotally connected with said gear, means for restoring said shift depending from the shift lever and adapted to engage a fiXed lug for retaining the lever in depressed position, and a spring for tensioning said latch toward said lug. V

16. A propelling means con'iprising a frame, a wheel mounted therein provided with a tensioning gear, a driving shaft upon which said gear is slidingly keyed, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft and secured thereto at one end, a shift lever mounted upon the frame and pivotally connected with said gear, means for restoring said shift lever wto elevated position, a latch pivotally denected to said shaft a ear thereon for tensioning, said spring by driving contact with the wheel, andmeans cont-rolled in the tensioning action of the spring for automatically releasing said tensioning gear.

' 18. In a vehicular toy, a frame, a propelling wheel mounted therein, a drive shaft provided with a clutched gear in mesh with agear on said wheel, a power spring connected to said shaft, a gear thereon for tensioning said spring by drivingcontact with i the wheel,means controlled in the tensioning action of the spring for automatically releasing said tensioning gear, means for shifting said tensioning gearinto driving relation, anda retaining element for said shifting means disposed to be automatically released when said spring is placedunder driving tension. v I

19. In a vehicular toy, a frame, a propelling wheel mountedtherein, a driving-shaft disposed in bearings at one side of said frame and geared to: said wheel, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft, and a platform for said frame having a depending portion partially enclosing said shaft and spring. a

20. In a vehicular toy, a frame, a propelling wheel mounted therein, a driving shaftdisposed in hearings at one side of said frame and geared to said wheel, a coiled spring surrounding said shaft, a'platform for said, frame havinga depending portion partially enclosing said shaft and spring, a tensioning gear for said spring, and a shifting lever therefor pivoted upon opposite sides of the frame and extending across'the.

same.

21. A vehicular toy comprising a frame having propelling whcel and means for storing up pow-er to drive said wheel, combined with. an instrumentality to actuate the power storing means from the wheel in the bodily movement of the toy.

22. A toy .as claimed in claim 21 comprising a foot support, and foot controlled means controlling the power storing means.

-23. A toy as claimed in claim' 21 having foot controlling means for the power storing means to initiate its power storing function, and automatic means to release and apply the power of the storing means to the wheel. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES S. MCCARTHY.

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